In the Black Panther newspaper, it details the war between Laos and the United States. The article about Laotian people’s fight for independence from United States imperialists. Reading this excerpt enthused me to research more of Laotian culture and dishes. One of these famous meals is green papaya salad, also known as Dtam mak huhng. This salad is prepared with unripe green papaya, lime juice, chilis, salt, sugar, fermented crab dip and fish sauce. It is served as a side dish with sticky rice, cabbage, or pork rinds. The fruit-based dish is a cornerstone of this Southeast Asian nation and is said to have originated here, despite having a more famous counterpart in Thailand. However, papaya is not native to this region. It’s origins are in the tropical climates of Central America, where it would be used for both food and medicine in early civilizations. In the 1500s, the fruit was brought to several countries across South America and the Caribbean. Spanish imperialists brought papaya to the Philippines where it quickly spread to neighboring countries like Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos,of course. The fruit thrived in this tropical environment. Papaya cultivation has now become a very successful market in several regions across the globe including Hawaii, Australia, and South Africa.
https://www.travelfish.org/beginners_detail/laos/15
https://www.herbazest.com/herbs/papaya/where-does-papaya-come-from